The Thinking Christian

Lately, when confronted with the opinions of my fellow Christians, I ask myself, "What were they thinking?" Truth is, I wonder if they've really thought through the opinions they put forth. In this blog I will attempt to provoke thought on some current issues. My thoughts might not mirror the popular view, but I hope they will help others consider the question, "What would Jesus think?"

Sunday, January 23, 2011

NEVER MIND THE CARNAGE, GO FOR THE JOKE

“What's the difference between black people and snow tires? Snow tires don’t sing when you put chains on them.”

“California, the state of fruits and nuts.”

“How do you know when a Pakistani boy becomes a man.? They take the diaper off his bum and put it on his head.”

“What does a redneck divorce and a tornado have in common? No matter what, somebody's losing trailer.”

“How are women and a pile of dog crap alike? The older they get, the easier they are to pick up.”

“Did you hear about the new Helen Keller doll? You wind her up and she bumps into the furniture.”

“How do you drown a blonde? Put a scratch and sniff sticker in the bottom of a swimming pool.”

How many democrats does it take to change a light bulb? Five. Al Gore to insure it’s a CFL, and EPA agent in case the blub breaks and a mercury cleanup is necessary, a person to bail out the home owner, an ACORN member to insure that the right person changed the bulb, and a member of the media to celebrate the change.”

What do all of these jokes have in common? They all ridicule certain groups of people: African Americans, homosexuals, the mentally ill, Muslims, rednecks, older women, the blind, blonds and Democrats. Of course, the jokes we tell are not limited to these groups; there is no group safe from this kind of humor. Also, the humor is not limited to pre-packaged jokes. Those of us gifted with biting sarcasm, can throw out original zingers on the spot.

While I am not one to tell any of the kinds of jokes above, I am guilty of the latter. In witnessing this many times, a friend of mine always said, “Never mind the carnage, Cynthia. Go for the joke.” It's true. While I would never mean to hurt anyone, some times I just cannot resist the joke. Especially if it's really funny. And it often is.

What is the Christian's responsibility when it comes to humor? While most Christians would never tell a “dirty joke,” do we find that we are more comfortable telling jokes that ridicule groups of people? If so, we have to ask ourselves how these jokes make those people feel. Hurt, certainly, but also degraded, marginalized, stereotyped, unloved and humiliated. If our jokes cause this kind of pain, should we be using them? In light of this, let's look at what the Bible has to say about our words.

5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.

3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes reproach.

4 The words of the mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.

6 The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating.

7 The mouths of fools are their undoing, and their lips are a snare to their very lives.

There are more, but we get the idea. I read these Scriptures and realize I must change my ways. No longer should I hear, “Never mind the carnage, Cynthia. Go for the joke.” Instead, I should tell myself, “Never mind the joke, Cynthia. Go for the kindness.” I challenge you to join me in this endeavor.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

How to Judge Sheep at the State Fair

In a recent straw poll at the Illinois State Fair, Mitt Romney won a landslide victory against the other Republican candidates.He also won at the Iowa State Fair.What do many Iowa and Illinois fair-goers have in common?They are mostly evangelical Christians who live in God-fearing communities tucked into the cornfields of the Bible Belt.

What is it about Romney that appeals to these folks?I believe they have fallen for his evaglicalesque persona and are convinced that voting for a moral, wholesome Mormon is almost as good as voting for an evangelical.I am not surprised that they are fooled.It is part of the Mormon agenda to appear as much like Christians as possible.But even a casual look at their doctrines exposes them as a cult that does not preach our Jesus nor walk in our light.

What they believe (from http://www.mrm.org/topics/introductory-issues/were-christians-just-you):

God was not always God

Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints taught,

“that he was once a man like us” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.345; also cited in Gospel Principles, p.305).

In contrast to this, Psalm 90:2 states, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you have formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.”

God is a glorified, perfected human being with a body of flesh and bones

According to Joseph Smith,

"God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345. Also cited in Achieving a Celestial Marriage, p.129).

The Doctrines of Covenants, considered to be scripture by Latter-day Saints, teaches, “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's” (130:22).

Jesus taught that God the Father was not a man at all. In fact, John 4:24 records Jesus saying, “God is spirit, and they that worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

God is only one among many Gods

Joseph Smith said, “I wish to declare I have always and in all congregations when I have preached on the subject of the Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods.” (Discourses of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.35).

Brigham Young, the second president of the LDSChurch, once stated,

“How many Gods there are, I do not know.” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 7:334, October 8, 1859).

However, Isaiah 44:6,8 tells us that the God of the Bible knows of no other Gods. “I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God…Is there a God beside me? Yea, there is no God; I know not any.”

Jesus is the spirit-brother of Lucifer

12th Mormon President Spencer W. Kimball wrote,

“Long before you were born a program was developed by your creators ... The principal personalities in this great drama were a Father Elohim, perfect in wisdom, judgment, and person, and two sons, Lucifer and Jehovah.” (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, pp. 32-33).

Since The New Testament claims that it was through Jesus all things were created (John 1:3; Colossian 1:16, 17), it is difficult to assume such a familial relationship. Lucifer is described as an angel and angels, according to Psalm 148:1-5, are created beings.

Christians are saved by grace coupled with works

President Spencer W. Kimball said,

“One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation” (12th Prophet Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, p.206; also cited in The Book of Mormon Student Manual, religion 121 and 122, 1996, p.36).

Though Christians are saved “unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10), the good works of a Christians do not justify (or make right) the believer before God. The apostle Paul made this very clear when he wrote, “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Humans can become Gods

According to the Encyclopedia of Mormonism,

“Logically and naturally, the ultimate desire of a loving Supreme Being is to help his children enjoy all that he enjoys. For Latter-day Saints, the term ‘godhood’ denotes the attainment of such a state—one of having all divine attributes and doing as God does and being as God is” (2:553).

Historically, such a notion has been considered blasphemous by Christians. Never have Christians taught that mankind has the capacity to become ontologically like God. As God Himself said through the prophet Isaiah, “Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me” (Isaiah 43:10).

Mankind must believe Joseph Smith was a prophet of God in order to get into heaven

“There is no greater prophet in any dispensation than Joseph Smith… Joseph Smith was a prophet, and all the calumny and aspirations to the contrary cannot controvert that fact. Anyone who has concern for the welfare of his eternal soul should give attention to this message. Every man who has lived since the days of Joseph Smith is subject to accepting him as a prophet of God in order to enter into our Heavenly father’s presence” (A. Theodore Tuttle, “Joseph Smith re-established fullness of true gospel, Church,” Church News, March 17, 2001, p.14).

The Bible declares that Jesus is the Christian’s living prophet and it is Jesus whom Christians must listen to and obey (Deuteronomy 18:15; John 5:46; 6:44; 7:40; Acts 3:22, 23; 7:37; Hebrews 1:1-2). Judgment has been given to Jesus alone by authority of the Father. “For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment unto the Son” (John 5:22).

Christianity ceased to exist after the death of the Twelve Apostles

According to the LDSChurch manual Gospel Principles,

“One by one, the Apostles were killed. Because of the persecution, surviving Apostles could not meet to choose and ordain men to replace those who were dead. Eventually, local priesthood leaders were the only ones who had authority to direct the scattered branches of the Church. The perfect organization of the Church no longer existed, and confusion resulted. More and more error crept into Church doctrine, and soon the destruction was complete. The period of time when the true Church no longer existed on earth is called the Great Apostasy” (Gospel Principles, p.105, emphasis theirs).

But Jesus promised to be with His Church unto the “end of the world (or age)” (Matthew 28:20).

The Garden of Eden was located in Missouri

Mormon Apostle John A. Widtsoe wrote,

“Latter-day Saints know, through modern revelation, that the Garden of Eden was on the North American continent and that Adam and Eve began their conquest of the earth in the upper part of what is now the state of Missouri.” (Evidences and Reconciliations, p.127).

In view of these facts, evangelical voters must beware.Mitt Romney is not someone who is “almost an evangelical” or “pretty much a Christian.”He is a member of a cult that is a variance with God’s Word in almost every detail.Even if he’s moral and wholesome, there are dangers in electing someone of the Mormon cult, and it worries me that Christians are not investigating Romney’s connection to the Mormon Church, what it believes and what its agenda is.

The authors of The Mormon Corporate Empire: The Eye-Opening Report on the Church and It’s Political and Financial Agendacharge “that the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints has developed an $8 billion financial/corporate empire whose influence on U.S. society is of concern. Once small and much persecuted, and now widely respected, the Mormon church, the authors contend, is a 'rising, authoritarian, powerful group,' with some five million members worldwide, whose little-understood purpose is to supersede other religions and take 'political and economic control' of the U.S. in preparation for the Second Coming." {Publishers Weekly}.

“To take political and economic control” of the US….”What better way to achieve this goal than to put one of their members in the Oval Office?So, my fellow Christians, when you go to judging sheep at the state fair, have a very close look and make sure that there is not a wolf with an agenda hidden under the sheep’s skin.

From Up There, There are No Boundaries

Once upon a time, a woman who lived south of the border fell in love with a man who lived north of the border.She packed much of what she owned in her ancient, run-down vehicle and took her child and her two cats over the border so she could be together with the man she loved.And so she became an illegal alien in a land where she didn’t speak the language….

What feelings does the above story evoke in you?Disgust?Resentment? Impatience?Outrage?Despair over the unrelenting issue of illegal immigration?Or can you muster any compassion for that woman as she feels lost in a place where not one single sign she sees is written in her language and no clerks in the store can understand her?Have you any understanding for her plight?After all, she just wanted to be with the man she loved and to enjoy being a family with him.

I ask because I was that woman.When I married Thomas in Quebec, north of the border, I became an illegal immigrant for three years until he could get his green card and we could return to the United States.

As a world traveler and former illegal alien married to an immigrant to the United States, I have a different perspective on the issue of immigration, whether legal or otherwise. I have great compassion and sympathy for those among us who are from other lands.Because of these feelings, I have grown heartsick over the increased hostility and even racism toward immigrants that I see displayed by my Christian brothers and sisters.

What does God say about the aliens in our lands?Does he support our exclusion and separatism?What should the Christian’s attitude be toward aliens, immigrants, and strangers in the United States?I do not look to politics for the answers.I look to the Word of God.Do you spend time reading what the newspapers have to say about the subject?I implore you to take the time to look at what God has to say.Here’s what the Bible says:

Exodus 22:21"Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt.(And unless you are Native American, your ancestors were once aliens in this land as well.)

Exodus 23:9"Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt.

Leviticus 19:33" 'When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him.

Leviticus 19:34The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 25:35" 'If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so he can continue to live among you.(This says that they financially supported the aliens)

Deuteronomy 10:18He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.

Deuteronomy 10:19And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.

Okay, you say, but this is Old Testament Jewish stuff.What does Jesus have to say on the subject?

The Sheep and the Goats

31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger (same word as alien) and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

In the musical “Camelot,” Merlin the wizard changes the young Arthur into a hawk and sends him flying above the earth.“What did you learn as a hawk that you did not know as a man, Wart?” the old magician asks when the boy returns to earth.“I could see no boundaries,” Arthur answered.

When God looks down on earth from Heaven, what does he see?These days we don’t need to be changed into hawks to see it.Look at any satellite photo of the earth and you will see it as God does.There are no lines, no demarcations.Only the one planet God created to house His people.I do not see borders in this world that God gave us. I like to see the world from His viewpoint and from up there, there are no boundaries.

Friday, July 06, 2007

Obama, Brother in the Lord

I am growing weary of emails and comments painting Barak Obama as a Muslim, so I decided to research the matter. Whatever one's politics, one should tread carefully when spreading rumours of someone's religious affiliation. If one did any research at all, one would discover that Obama is our brother in Christ and as such, deserves our respect. But more than our respect, he should be able to count on his Christian brothers and sisters to pass on the truth and to put down lies that try to strip him of his relationship with Christ.There is no glory for the Lord in that.

Below are quotes debunking this myth and the links to full articles.

"The beginnings of Obama's relationship with the church were described in an April 2004 Chicago times article:

Obama is unapologetic in saying that he has a "personal relationship with Jesus Christ." As a sign of that relationship, he says, he walked down the aisle of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ in response to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's altar call one Sunday morning about sixteen years ago." (This was many years before he became a politician. CW)

"If Doocy or the staff at Fox and Friends had taken the time to check their facts, or simply made a call to his office, they would have learned that Senator Obama was not educated in a Madrassa, was not raised as a Muslim, and was not raised by his father – an atheist Obama met once in his life before he died.

To be clear, Senator Obama has never been a Muslim, was not raised a Muslim, and is a committed Christian who attends the United Church of Christ in Chicago. Furthermore, the Indonesian school Obama attended in Jakarta is a public school that is not and never has been a Madrassa."

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Whatsoever Things are True

I recently received a forward with a "plea" from Dr. Dobson. The news purported in the email is frightening to Christians, but the fact is, it isn’t true. Well-meaning Christians who receive a forwarded email frequently present me with these emails. Believing every word of it, they forward it on to their friends and family with the plea to sign a petition, contact a congressman or boycott a product.

This concerns me. There is much to worry about in our world today, and it does pay to be diligent. However, before we allow ourselves to become upset and before we act upon something, wouldn’t it behoove us to ascertain the truth of the information? I don’t think any of us would like to know that we have been a victim of a hoax or that we have unwittingly propagated that hoax.

A good resource to check out such emails is snopes.com. This site is an excellent clearinghouse of information on forwarded emails. It will tell you if the email is true or false and if false, how the hoax began and how it continues. I urge you to use this resource when you get emails that worry you.

The Bible says, “Whatsoever things are true…think on these things.” I urge you to find out the truth before you act in any way on these emails. It’s so easy to just click “forward all” without thinking that we might be participating in a hoax that can waste the time and energy of Christians that can be better directed in the ways of the truth.

Saturday, August 27, 2005

HOMOSEXUALITY: The Really Bad, Nasty Sin

Are there classes of sin? For example, is gluttony an okay sin since so many Christians—as evidenced by our waistlines—partake of it? Is gossiping a mild sin? After all, almost all of us do it at one time or another. Then there is the famous “little white lie.” Who hasn’t used that one? Has anyone ever taken a tablet of sticky notes from work? Just a little moderate thievery never hurt anyone, right? A bit too much eggnog at your Christmas party? Drunkenness once a year or so, isn’t one of the really bad sins, is it?

I once knew a Christian whose son was living a homosexual lifestyle. A Christian sister, whose own unmarried son was living with a woman, expressed shock, judgment and pity. “How can you stand to have your son like that?” she asked. The message was clear: your son is doing a really bad sin. My son’s sin is…normal, acceptable.

How did it happen that homosexuality has become the big, bad nasty sin of all time? I do not deny that it is a sin, I just wonder how it became a special class of sin, sin worthy of a level of contempt and hatred toward the sinner unmatched by that of any other sinful lifestyle.

In this scripture, homosexuality is listed along with greed and heterosexual immorality. These sins are not rated according to their level of wickedness. Think about it: homosexuality and greed (When was the last time YOU worked overtime so you could buy more material goods?). Both are equal in the eyes of the Lord. Are they equal in your eyes?

1 Corinthians 6 goes on to say:“11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

According to that scripture, some of the early church had been homosexuals. It’s not the unforgivable sin. It’s not a sin that merits Christians holding signs condemning homosexuals to hell. It’s not a special class of sin. It’s a sin like any other. Let’s remember that and temper our behavior accordingly, showing the grace and mercy toward sinners that Jesus shows, remembering always that “such were some of you.”

Friday, August 26, 2005

Without a Prayer

I recently received an email imploring me to sign the attached petition for “President Bush to reinstate prayer in school.” I glanced at the list and there were my church friends, duly signed and numbered. I, however, couldn’t sign it.

You see, prayer in school is already protected by the US government. To quote from: http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance.html, “Section 9524 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act ("ESEA") of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, requires the Secretary to issue guidance on constitutionally protected prayer in public elementary and secondary schools. In addition, Section 9524 requires that, as a condition of receiving ESEA funds, a local educational agency ("LEA") must certify in writing to its State educational agency ("SEA") that it has no policy that prevents, or otherwise denies participation in, constitutionally protected prayer in public schools as set forth in this guidance.”

According to this guidance, the students are specifically allowed:

“Prayer During Noninstructional Time” This includes saying a blessing before meals, praying with fellow students, praying before a football game or concert, praying that a test will go well, etc.

“Organized Prayer Groups and Activities” This gives Christian students the right to form prayer groups, attend “See You at the Pole,” have Bible studies and Christian clubs.

“Accommodation of Prayer During Instructional Time” Under this heading, students may actually be excused from classes for a time of prayer if their religion obligates them to do so.

That is a lot of freedom. Granted, in their zeal to protect separation of church and state, school officials often make mistakes applying the law. That is when organizations like the Rutherford Institute (http://www.rutherford.org/) step in to remind the schools of the students’ rights.

If these laws are already in place to protect prayer in public school, what prayer does this petition want Mr. Bush to “reinstate?” It can only mean some kind of publicly mandated corporate prayer in classrooms and I’m not sure when in US history there has been such a thing. I went to school from 1962 to 1975 and never saw “corporate prayer in public school.” But if a thing once existed, do we really want it back? Let’s think about that.

If Mr. Bush were to “reinstate prayer in school,” my first question would be, “Whose prayer?” Certainly a Christian prayer, right? But even then, what branch? Catholic? Anglican? Mormon? Protestant? If Protestant, what branch? Baptists? Pentecostals? Lutherans? Clearly, even if such a prayer were kept within the bounds of Christianity, there is no standard to assure a single, acceptable Christian prayer.

Then there is that whole pesky separation of church and state thing. How would Muslims, Native Americans, Jews, Buddhists, atheists, etc. receive a publicly mandated corporate Christian prayer? I believe that separation of church and state is there to protect us and it should not be tampered with. Sure, things are great right now. There is a Christian president in the White House and the Christian Right has more power than ever before. If we tamper with the Constitution to suit our Christian agenda, it’s all for the best, right?

Probably not. If we weaken separation of church and state while Christians are in power, what happens ten years down the road when a Muslim becomes president and there is a Muslim majority in the US? Will the crack we put in the law open to allow publicly mandated Muslim prayer 3 times during the school day? It could happen. But not if we cling to the safety of separation of church and state and refuse to alter it even for what appears to be a good cause.

Christians expend much energy on non-issues like this. Before we send out a petition and before we sign one, we should research the issue. Is it a real issue of concern? In this case, a little research shows that there is protection for personal prayer in public schools and any public, corporate prayer would be against the Constitution and could lead us to a place where we would not want to be.

Thursday, August 25, 2005

What We Can Learn From Billy Graham

Billy Graham, a fellow Christian and Democrat has been an exemplary example of man who knows his purpose in life. In his book, Just as I Am, he wrote, "An evangelist is called to do one thing, and one thing only: to proclaim the Gospel. Becoming involved in strictly political issues or partisan politics inevitably dilutes the evangelist's impact and compromises his message. It is a lesson I wish I had learned earlier." He has also said, "If I get up and I talk about some political issue, it divides the audience. What I want is a united audience to hear the Gospel."

What can we learn from Billy Graham? We can learn that a balance can be struck between our work for the Lord and our political beliefs. Was Billy Graham apolitical? No, he was involved in the political arena in a way few people have experienced. During his ministry, this man was considered to be the minister, confidant and friend to every US president. As a Democrat, he must have had some strong opinions that he shared them with those in power. But the difference between Graham and so many Christians today is that he never lost his focus. He never used his platform for politics or to push a Christian political agenda. He never called for laws to be added or changed to suit his ideals. What he did was share the gospel with more people than anyone who has ever lived. He did not squander his popularity on things of this world, even though one word from him would have been enough to form a huge lobby on any subject of his choosing.

I want to be like Billy Graham. Am I a political creature? Yes. Do I support Democratic candidates and vote faithfully every time the polls are open? Yes. What I don't want to do, however, is to jumble my religion and my politics into a single, driving force. My purpose in life is to glorify God and to tell others the good news of Jesus Christ. My politics must always take a back seat to this purpose. By promoting strong partisan politics mingled with religion, one does a disservice both to their political agenda and to the Lord.